Students obliged to take out Dutch basic health insurance, listen up! We know health insurance can be expensive, but there’s a silver lining: the Dutch government offers a health insurance subsidy that (partly) covers the costs of your Dutch basic insurance. This subsidy is called zorgtoeslag, and most students are eligible for it, so it is likely that you will be able to receive it. You can find out more and learn how to apply for zorgtoeslag on our dedicated page in the finance section.
Applying for zorgtoeslag when living abroad
Students who work in the Netherlands but live abroad (for example commuting from Germany or Belgium), are also obliged to take out Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering).
If this is your case, you may also be interested in applying for zorgtoeslag. However, because you live abroad, you have to follow different steps for the subsidy application in order to get the health insurance benefits. This is because you cannot get a DigiD account if you live abroad unless you are Dutch.
How can I apply?
The following steps must be taken:
- Call the Belastingdienst Tax Office: +31(0)555385385. They speak German, Dutch and English, so you can call them yourself. They will ask for your BSN number, birthdate and address to confirm your personal information.
- In case your bank account is not known to them, you have to give them your bank account details:
- If it’s a Dutch bank account you can submit your information via phone.
- If it’s a German bank account you’ll need to send them a bank statement in the post.
Note: both German and Dutch accounts are OK!
Within 10 working days, the tax office will send the form for the subsidy application that you need to fill out and send back to them. Based on this information, the Belastingdienst decides whether you are eligible for the benefit or not.
